THE NSPCC in Wales said mobile phone firms were looking at ways of preventing misuse.

A spokeswoman said, "We know phone companies are looking for ways of making it more difficult for people to take illicit photographs.

"This may in the future include a loud beep when the photograph is taken. This could alert people to the fact that a photo has been taken."

Steve Boocock, director of the child safety in sport unit, added, "Mobile phones with integral cameras enable people to take photos of children and young people inconspicuously.

"There is therefore a potential for their misuse in sport and leisure activities.

"Sport and leisure services need to seriously consider the implications of allowing the use of these particular phones on their premises, just as they do the recording of an event by any other means."

THE latest mobile phones and digital cameras are to be banned from sports centres in Mid Wales to protect children from snooping paedophiles.

The Powys County Council move is understood to be one of the first of its type in the UK, but it has raised concerns from another authority and public sector union chiefs about how staff will enforce the rule. The three-month trial ban comes into effect next month.

The technological advancement of digital cameras and mobile phones prompted the council to act after it feared that paedophiles could target young people using its sport centres.

Councillors were told at a meeting that pictures of youngsters innocently playing could be taken and transmitted within seconds and unauthorised images of children taken at leisure centres had been posted on the internet.

During the trial, council officers will investigate if mobile phones could still be used in certain places - such as in reception areas.

A spokesman for Powys County Council said, "Historically some photography and video use has always taken place in sport centres, swimming pools and at sports events.

"However, the use of today's modern digital cameras, often with video, and now the new generation of mobile phones presents the opportunity for misuse.

"The magnification and manipulation that is possible with today's digital pictures and the fact there is no need for a third party to develop and print images is causing concern.

"Images taken with a mobile phone can, in seconds, be transmitted onto the web. There are reports of unauthorised children's images taken while using sports facilities being posted on the web."

He added, "Currently all county council sports and leisure centres work to locally determined guidelines. During July and August four centres piloted a photographic and mobile phone policy."

However, public sector union Unison has raised concerns that if the ban becomes permanent in Powys its members could be placed in danger.

One of the union's spokespeople in Wales, Paul Elliot, said, "This raises all sorts of implications for leisure centre staff who already have many tasks to do.

"We expect the council to hold a meeting with union reps to explain the impact of its decision and how it intends to protect and reward staff for upholding the rule."

He added, "We will expect the council to hold discussions with union representatives and how it intends to implement these rules should they become permanent.

"We don't want our any of our members to be involved in confrontational situations. This must be handled delicately and proper training must be given to staff."

Powys's neighbouring authority, Ceredigion, said it was monitoring the situation, but added that currently it had no intention of introducing a similar ban.

The council's recreation manager, Trevor Miles, said, "Cameras are currently banned from our sport centres, although some photography is allowed along as it abides by certain rules.

"However, we have no ban preventing new generation mobile phones and we are monitoring the situation and it may be the case that we will have to consider moving in a similar direction to Powys.

"It will be interesting to see how Powys implements the ban on especially mobile phones, as new ones are very small and can be easily concealed and operated."